North-West projects
The Presidency has rejected claims that President Bola Tinubu has neglected the North-West, insisting that the administration is investing heavily in rail, roads, health facilities and transportation projects across the region.
The response came on Monday during a pre-tour media briefing in Abuja organised by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors ahead of a nationwide project showcase tour expected to begin in Kaduna and other North-West states. According to the Presidency, the tour is designed to show Nigerians ongoing federal projects and counter what officials described as false narratives about regional neglect.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, said the claim that Tinubu had failed the North was incorrect. He argued that the administration had started major works in the region, especially in road networks, health facilities and the rail system from Kano to Maradi.
One of the biggest projects listed by the Presidency is the $2bn Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail project. Officials said the project, which links Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic, has reached about 60 percent completion. The project includes the Kano-Katsina-Maradi extension, which runs from Kano through Katsina to Jibia before crossing into Niger Republic.
The Presidency also said the North-West is becoming a major centre of Nigeria’s national rail integration plan. According to the Director of Rail Transport Service at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Finbarr Zirra, the Lagos-Kano standard gauge corridor remains the backbone of the national rail network. He said the Abuja-Kaduna and Lagos-Ibadan sections are already operational, while work around the Kaduna-Kano axis is at an advanced stage.
For the North-West projects, the rail component is central. The Presidency said Kano is expected to become a major transport hub where four rail lines will meet. These include the Lagos-Kano line, Kano-Maradi international line, Kano-Katsina branch and Kano-Dutse line. Officials also said one fully loaded train could take about 30 trucks off the road, reducing pressure on highways and lowering logistics costs.
https://ogelenews.ng/presidency-counters-north-west-neglect-claims-lists…
The Presidency’s defence comes amid wider political criticism that the Tinubu administration has not given enough attention to northern development. In July 2025, presidential spokesman Sunday Dare also responded to former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s claim of northern neglect by listing several federal projects across the North, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway, Sokoto-Badagry expressway and the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina corridor.
The administration has also pointed to agriculture, health and energy projects as evidence that the region has not been abandoned. These include the Value Chain North programme, health investments in teaching hospitals and primary healthcare centres, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline and other energy-related projects.
However, the real test is not the number of North-West projects listed at a press briefing. The real test is whether communities can see completed roads, functioning rail lines, better hospitals, improved power supply and lower transport costs.
This is where the Presidency must go beyond political messaging. Many Nigerians have heard project announcements for years without seeing timely completion. For people in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Jigawa, the question is simple: when will these projects begin to change daily life?
The North-West projects listed by the Presidency could have major economic value if completed. A working rail network could reduce the cost of moving food, livestock and manufactured goods. Better road links could support trade between farming communities and urban markets. Health investments could improve access to care in areas already affected by poverty, insecurity and weak public services.
But the concerns remain serious. The North-West has been one of Nigeria’s worst-hit regions by banditry, kidnapping, rural displacement and food insecurity. Infrastructure alone cannot solve these problems if security, education, jobs and local governance remain weak.
That is why the Presidency’s response should be measured carefully. It is fair for the government to defend its record with facts. But it is also fair for citizens to demand clear timelines, cost details, contractor information and independent verification of project progress.
The mention of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors as the vehicle for showcasing Tinubu’s achievements also gives the story a political colour. Rahman described the platform as the principal vehicle for the President’s re-election campaign. That means the tour is not only about public information. It is also part of the wider political positioning ahead of 2027.
For now, the Presidency has made its position clear: Tinubu is not neglecting the North-West. It has listed rail, road, health and transport projects to support that argument. But Nigerians in the region will likely judge the claim by what is completed, what is accessible, and what improves their lives.
The North-West projects may become a strong defence for the Tinubu administration if they are delivered. If they remain slow, invisible or poorly explained, the neglect argument will continue to gain political weight.
https://punchng.com/presidency-counters-nwest-neglect-claims-lists-ongoing-projects
North-West projects
